Whew! It’s been such a hectic few days, I’m so relieved that I decided to keep the menu simple this week! Today’s recipe is another tasty 5-ingredient meal. Some might call this an easy recipe, others may call it lazy, but either way, its flavors are bold and delicious. You’d never guess it was so easy to make.

The secret here is the perfect baked potato. This method works better with russet potatoes, but still makes a tasty baked sweet one. Basically, the potato needs to go directly on the rack in a hot oven. If you cover it in foil, the potato steams, not bakes. While still tasty, you don’t get that crisp, baked skin that’s so very delicious.

Once you’ve got the perfect baked potato, the filling is easy. To cut some of the sweetness from the potato, I added some smoked sausage (kielbasa would be great here), salty cotija cheese (like feta), cilantro and a big squeeze of lime. An easy meal for a lazy weeknight.

Sweet Potatoes w/Sausage, Cheese, Cilantro & LimeNote: I am not cheating. This is a 5-ingredient meal if you don’t count the olive oil and salt, which everyone should have in their pantry already :)

Preheat the oven to 350°. Add the olive oil and salt to a big bowl. Set aside. Scrub the potatoes clean with water and a soft brush or clean dishtowel. Dry them, then poke them all over with a fork and place in the prepared bowl. Toss the potatoes with the olive oil and salt. Use your hands to make sure the entire potato is rubbed in oil and salt.

Place the potatoes directly onto the center rack of the oven. If you want to avoid any messiness, place a cookie sheet underneath to catch any potato drippings (sometime sweet potatoes leak a bit). Leave room for a cookie sheet – the sausages will go in with the potatoes.

Bake the potatoes for 45 minutes, or until they’re baked and tender all the way through and the skin is a little crisp.

Halve the sausages or kielbasa and place them on a prepared cookie sheet. When the potatoes are about half done and there are still about 20 minutes on the timer, place the cookie sheet in the oven.

When everything is done, remove the potatoes and sausages from the oven. Chop the sausage into bite-sized pieces. Cut a slit into the top of each potato, using a fork to fluff up the inside a bit. Top with sausage, cotija cheese, cilantro and lime juice.

Love this site, some really fun recipes! Quick question: What is cojito cheese and is there another cheese I can sub for it? I’m a lowly college student so this recipe seems perfect so long as I can use another cheese! Thanks!